The invention relates to a process for the supervision of a machining process using a high-power energy source, in particular a laser, and to a machining optical system for carrying out the process.
High-power energy sources, in particular electron beams or focused laser beams (CO.sub.2 laser) which are employed for the machining of materials, namely cutting, welding and surface finishing, have appropriate beam-guiding optical systems which are adapted to the respective machining function. In this connection, a matter of particular importance is the machining optical system of the laser, which optical system has a substantial influence on the quality of the machining operation to be carried out. In order to guarantee an optimal machining quality which is as uniform as possible during the entire machining operation, it is necessary to maintain the machining process at the workpiece constant.
To this end, the decisive beam parameters are the beam power, the beam diameter, the position of the beam and the radiation reflected back, which can be subject to temporal fluctuations during the machining operation and must therefore be taken into consideration.